Pigeon said to be euthanized after breaking quarantine rules in Australia

A carrier pigeon, which survived a cross of 13,000 kilometers across the Pacific Ocean, awaits this Thursday the opinion of the authorities of Australia, who deliberately sacrificed the animal as a “threat” in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The bird, baptized as Joe, to escape from United States on October 29th after being part of a breed of pigeons originating in the state of Oregon.

Joe flew around 8,000 miles aboard a cargo ship in Australia. Kevin Celli-Bird he discovered the exahausta bird in the backyard of his home in Melbourne.

The pigeon has repeatedly visited the home of the Australian citizen who in his appearances has shown that the bird had a blue stripe on its paw and, therefore, deduced that it had an owner.

He then reported his meeting to Inspection and quarantine service from the ocean country, who contacted him immediately to ask him to capture the bird.

“They say it could come from the United States. They are concerned about the transmission of diseases from birdsCelli-Bird detailed. In turn, he acknowledged that the regulatory body was not ruling out the possibility of hiring a professional bird hunter, in case the situation got out of hand.

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Simultaneously, the association American Pigeon Union, situated at Oklahoma, confirmed that Joe is on behalf of an owner in Montgomery, Alabama. Celli-Bird said he tried to contact the owner but received no response.

Despite the friendly relationship developed between Joe and Cell Bird, El Department of Agriculture, the country’s biosecurity manager, noted that the pigeon “was not allowed to stay in Australia” and that “Could jeopardize Australia’s food security and our wild bird populations”.

“This represents a direct biosecurity risk for Australian birds and our poultry industry,” the institution said in a statement.

JFG